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Rangers youngster shocked at making CL debut

by 2010-12-09 05:43:08

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Darren Cole could not take it seriously when he was told by Ally McCoist he would be making his Rangers debut in the Champions League clash with Bursaspor.
The 18-year-old defender had not even been on the bench before he was pitched in their final Group C game which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Cole, from Edinburgh, was stunned when he was told by the Rangers assistant manager of his surprise promotion.

"I didn't have a clue," he said. "I didn't know anything about starting and it was a massive, massive shock.

"I thought it was a joke but it wasn't. As soon as I saw the team sheet that was me on a high.

"I had never had a sniff of the bench before, nothing like that.

"I was in the squad for the game against Dundee United but that was called off and away to Kilmarnock I was in the stand.

"I just had to get my head down and get on with it.

"I was nervous and trying not to show it but as soon as I started playing and got some touches I was fine.

"The first five or 10 minutes you do think about the occasion but then you just think about your normal game."

Cole praised experienced duo Davie Weir and Lee McCulloch for talking him through the game, and is determined not to be a one-game wonder.

"It doesn't get much better than that, straight from the under-19s to the first team is a massive step," he said.

"David is like my dad. I get on really well with him and Lee McCulloch and they are the ones who helped me through the game.

"Hopefully I will have nothing to do with the under-19s now and go with the first team.
"I will just have to wait and see but hopefully it is the first team."